I don''t mind being in the nerd category, because it lets me do really cool stuff like make games and such. I personally don''t prefer the name ''nerd'', but I guess that''s the way it goes. Besides, we get to use really cool pickup lines like "Is that a graphing calculator in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?" and "I''m gonna void your pointer, baby!". Ya see what I mean??? Power to the nerds!!!

Anonymous poster at the top of this page: you are a nerd!

having a football team where half the players program explains why your school sucks ass at football.

Oh yeah, only country hicks call other people nerds, in the city you''re a fool to make fun of people for being succesful at the main focus in your life (school- and don''t argue with me on this one, if you spend 7-8 hours doing homework and going to school than it is the main focus in your life) Mabey it''s different in America though

Couple things:

It depends on your definition. The way I see it, a ''nerd'' or a ''geek'' means someone who is weak, generally smart academically, socially outcast, wears short pants, thick glasses, buttoned shirts, pocket protectors, etc., idolizes over girls but is afraid to talk to them, and stuff like that. If you''ve ever seen Air Farce, it''s the PJ Nosley guy. Also, regarding grades, I don''t thing that matters. I rarely study, and get good grades. Everyone else studies their ass off because they weren''t paying attention in class. I don''t call them nerds for studying so much.

Now, I do not beleive that there are very many people that fit this description, especially most people that get called that. Most of the time, it''s an immature name to call out, just like queer (when there''s no evidence that the person''s homosexual) or whore (when there''s no evidence that the person sleeps around, etc.).

Most programmers are not nerds. Also, most people who call other people nerds are not far behind when it comes to the criteria that they are basing that on.

I do not get called a nerd or a geek very often. Jokingly by my school friends occasionally. When people do, I regard them as being a (mainstream) ignorant. I don''t get pushed around. I may not play sports or have a girlfriend, but I''m stronger than most people, and my life isn''t screwed up. I''m happy where I am. I have a few good friends, not 25 that don''t care.

I have a problem with the anonymous poster''s opinion at the top (who allows APs anyway? crappy for referring to), partly because it''s like the newspaper article I just read: it said, being on the internet decreased your social activity. That''s not true in most cases, IMHO. When I''m on the net, 80% of the time I''m talking to people and interacting, the other 20% I''m learning and doing solitary things that interest me. Just because I don''t use a phone, or talk to the people face to face, doesn''t mean I''m not socializing. I''m doing plenty of that, in fact, more than I do/did in person, even before I got the internet.

Also, this person (the AP) said that being a geek makes your high school life hell. Sorry, that''s bull, at least for most people. I''ve been programming since kindegarten in GWBASIC and stuff and I''d hardly call my school life hell (aside from my hate for the way the education system works). I get good grades, I''m not picked on, I do what I want, everything''s fine. I''m going at my own pace socially. I''m a virgin. Does that make me a nerd? Hardly. I''m saving it for marriage, partly because it''s safer that way, mostly because of religeous belief. I wouldn''t say my life''s hell.

And a random thought: why is it that 95% of the time I''ve heard the phrase "trust me", especially when the person''s talking about life in general, they''ve been absolutely wrong in the end?

Anyhow, just some thoughts. Please excuse my spelling errors, I''m switching to Dvorak but I''m using QWERTY right now because it''s almost dinner. I think I''m forgetting something. Oh well.

Have a good one! Nothing matters!


Lack

Christianity, creationism, metric, Dvorak, and BeOS for all!

respect others, and they will respect you.

i steered clear of the whole "nerd" calling convention in high school. it just so happened that i had a wide variety of interests, sports and video games being the main ones (wow talk about opposites).

but, i knew some people that most high schoolers would qualify as "nerds". it''s pretty safe to say those people didn''t have a good time in high school. but once i got to college, i was in CIS (computer info systems) program, and 2 of those people from high school were in my classes. they were like transformed people, no longer in the corner to themselves, no longer being the brunt of jokes. because they now had people in their classes that shared their interests.

so basically, take high school as it comes, and take it with a grain of salt, because it only gets better after that. like felisandria said, the "cool people" usually realize, much to their dismay, that their coolness in high school is absolutely worthless in the real world. in the long run, they will probably be paying YOU $50 to buy the game that YOU helped develop

Programming is my tao, but i''ve learned to control it.

I''ve never been called a nerd, but because I like programming, kids would probably call me one.

Those with a mature mind would call me a whiz.

My uncles, aunts and other adults would call me smart and talented.

I would call myself a young artist.

~Psychedelic~

I get called a nerd all the time, ecspecially by my female friends. Im just a guy who blasts punk rock on his computer and tries to learn how to program. But whatever, we''ll see whose laughing when we''re all rolling in huge piles of cash when they''re working at McDicks flipping burgers for the rest of their fuckin lives.
Dont let it bother you, Im proud to have a better understanding of computers then 75% of the rest of my gay ass school. At least theres a career in it.


Its all fun and games till
someone gets pregnant.

Yea, I as well would like to reply to that Anonymous Poster.
Suck a dick. Computers rule and they have never caused me to lose any of my friends because all my friends are into computers too. And pot doesnt ruin your life! I probably smoke WAY too much weed but Im having a blast. Its not like im miserable without it, sometimes id just prefer to be completly sober than baked. The LAST thing I care about is being cool, or being a dork\nerd\geek or whatever. Ill live how I want to live, not how others or tv tell me to. I hope others feel this way too.

I know lots of stuff about the computer and I am the fastest typer in school, but people don''t call me a nerd/geek. I also hang around with the popular people in school, it''s probably because I wear clothes that are in style.

Scythe

I don''t know about the rest of you but I occassionally get called "computer nerd" and it doesn''t bother me one bit.

I enjoy every aspeect of a computer of such great power in today''s world, I guess I''m a "social outcast" but I also have great friends and a girlfriend who mean''s the world to me.

It is possible to be both, also the world is moving to great lengths where knowing about computer''s is essential.
Here where I live, the demand for I.T. professionals is high and cannot be supplied until 2004 they''ve worked out.

Do what you want but enjoy what you are doing, but do not let other people put you down.

Just my 2 cents, 2 minute''s of your and my time, and some thought...

I was never really bugged in school, because I tended to fit in in pretty much any situation. When people did bug me, I simply thought one thing: someday soon, I''m going to be your boss.

Somehow, that made me feel better.

-Chris

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Chris Rouillard
Software Engineer
crouilla@hotmail.com